Graphic - Bar / Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  American

Cost:  

Rating:

Where?:  4, Golden Square, Soho, London. W1F 9HT. 

Closest station(s): Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden.  

Telephone: 0207 287 9241

Website: www.graphicbar.com 

Nestling in the middle of the narrow streets of Soho I found myself in Golden Square – I’m not quite sure how I hadn’t stumbled across it before. On a warm and sunny Thursday the light and open square had a crowd of people standing out in the sun enjoying post-work cocktails. Wandering over, the place drawing a crowd was Graphic.

Graphic is a contemporary bar – aiming to maintain its cutting edge by opening up the decoration of the venue to a new artist every few months; a move that should stop it becoming familiar. On my visit the design was urban, the current installation coming from the artist Eine who has a penchant for graffiti on metal shutters – probably not how I would chose to decorate my bedroom but it worked well in creating an atmosphere. The passion for contemporary art is further demonstrated by the presence at Graphic of a Mark Wallinger brick. Alongside the artist focus there is also an emphasis on music, the venue having a DJ from the early evening onwards, helping to create a buzz.  

Graphic appears to have broad appeal – looking around the bar from my table halfway down the long, narrow room there were varied groups including those from the City, trendy Dalstonians wearing their anorexic jeans and those from the media hubs littering the surrounding area.

The focus is on gin with a selection exceeding 120 having been amassed, purportedly the largest selection in the UK and quite possibly the world. The cocktail list is varied with the signature cocktail being their paint tin punch – fresh juices blended with different gins and served, as the name suggests, in a paint tin. The two I tried were very good, I’m not sure whether the paint tin container adds a huge amount but it certainly didn’t detract from the experience and it was at least novel. With house wine starting at £17 a bottle the prices certainly haven’t been set to beat up your wallet.

So,  the venue is trendy, the music’s good and the drinks are great – this being the London Food Review however the key element for me has to be the food.  Whilst Soho has a number of decent bars, when conceived the onus is seems to be on venue and drinks with food being a distant afterthought. This also seems to coincide with trendy bars often thinking it is a particularly good idea to serve pseudo-Oriental food despite it having no relevance to their brand - clearly nothing sums up chic like a spring roll. The Graphic menu therefore came as a very pleasant surprise. Putting the menu into a box is difficult, largely American with hints of the Middle East, the focus being on the sharing of small plates.

We started by sharing a plate of sliders (small burgers). All too often in a bar sliders would be an excuse to get cheap and greasy meat in stale bread out of the kitchen and to charge a premium. Before they arrived however I already had high hopes – the fact that one we chose included bone marrow suggested that a little more thought had gone into these than one may expect. The sliders were, as I had hoped, very good – well cooked, flavoursome, served in decent quality bread and grease free. At 3 sliders for under £10 I certainly didn’t feel that I was being ripped off in light of the size and quality of the dish before me.

We then proceeded onto the grills section – ordering the chicken and the salmon. Again, both were surprisingly good quality and cooked simply. The lack of any attempt at pretention behind the food continued to be a pleasant surprise. Accompanying the grills were the items that I thought summed up Graphic, namely the sides and salads. In a majority of bars you would find the option of chips, onion rings and some other items that came straight from the freezers of the horribly generic catering companies. Instead at Graphic I was able to tuck into a roast fennel salad, a refreshing summer slaw with plenty of fresh apple cutting through the dressing and these were accompanied by the crowning glory - the polenta chips. At only £3 each the sides and salads were far less you could spend around the corner for a bowl of limp chips.

Graphic is a bar and is not aiming for fine dining. The focus is, as it should be, on the cocktails – what makes Graphic a bit different is that you have opportunity to soak up the alcohol with some well-conceived and executed food, perfect for sharing amongst a group. The sharing platter, that I didn’t try, also looked particularly good. Leaving the bar my eating and drinking partner said she thought it was about the best bar food she had been served in London and by no means the most expensive. I highly recommend going there for a drink and whilst there why not get a few plates to share – you shouldn't be disappointed. 

Central & Co - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  British

Cost:  

Rating:

Where?:  22, Great Marlborough Street, Soho, London. W1F 7HU.

Closest station(s): Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Piccadilly Circus.    

Telephone: 0207 437 4106

Website: www.centralandco.com      

Opposite an entrance to Carnaby Street I found myself stepping into Central & Co, a new venture on Great Marlborough Street – with its proximity to Oxford Street  I fear that restaurants in this area will be uninspiring places looking to churn though as many tourists and weary shoppers as possible. Happily, Central & Co does not fall into this bracket and is already drawing a strong following. It is an uncluttered space with wooden tables; feeling light and airy rather than sparse – when the sun is shining the front of the premises are opened up to allow the light and heat to spill in.

The menu divides into small plates, mains and puddings; offering a British focus with Gallic influence. It has been quite a while since I wished to devour so much of a menu; the small plates all sounded appealing – we plumped for the rabbit rillettes, langoustines, steak tartare and cauliflower fritters. This left me feeling rather guilty that I hadn’t ordered the other 12 or so small plates, surely it was rude of me to neglect such great sounding food. In the region of £4 - £8 the small plates are not bank busting. As we waited we were delivered a huge breadboard which remained on the table – something Central & Co cannot be accused of is being stingy.

Each of the small plates lived up to what I had hoped for. Cauliflower fritters were crisp, without a drop of oil in sight, delicate and delicious – many more people would eat their 5 a day if all veg tasted like this. The tartare again was very good; not too finely chopped steak, hugely acidic capers which dribbled their wonderfully sharp juice through the dish. The rabbit was prepared simply and accompanied by a pea puree, it needed nothing more. The langoustines did not fail to impress either – cooked simply they maintained their delicate flavours.

The mackerel salad niçoise main was very enjoyable – a decent chunk of mackerel, perched on a pleasantly textured and varied salad (including olives that my dining partner would not shut up about how much she loved). The steak too ticked the right boxes, cooked as I had requested and with plenty of flavour, not the best I have ever had but equally I have had a lot lot worse at much higher prices. The chips were sufficiently large to prop up a barn, not necessarily to my taste but pleasant nonetheless. With the price of mains ranging from the low to the high teens they were certainly reasonably priced for the quality and size.  We ended by gorging ourselves on the cheeseboard, which was again generously proportioned, and the perfect end to the meal.

In spite of the praise I have for the food, the highlight of the meal was in fact the service – from start to finish it was great, extremely friendly without stepping towards Michelin-sycophancy. Our waiter had a genuine passion for the food and wine and was keen to that we made the most of our evening. My Kiwi company for that evening summed it up in enquiring at the end of the evening whether she might be able to take the waiter home – I believe for her kitchen rather than bedroom, however it was not for me to enquire.

Lastly, the final box which I whole-heartedly applaud Central & Co for ticking is their decision to sell a number of their wines by the carafe – sadly too rare these days in London. Much of their varied and not over-priced wine list is offered by the carafe which allowed us to sample a selection of wine with each course.

I thoroughly enjoyed my evening at Central & Co and look forward to returning. When I do I will certainly be attacking the rest of the small plates selection washed down with a few carafes – the mains were enjoyable but, for me, could not live up to the glory of the smaller plates. A great addition to Soho, a relaxed and friendly venue offering well executed and interesting dishes and to top it off it won’t break the bank.

Le Café du Marché – Restaurant Review

 

Cuisine:  French

Cost:  

Rating:

Where?:  Charterhouse mews, Charterhouse Square, London. EC1M 6BB.

Closest station(s): Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street.  

Telephone: 0207 608 1609

Website: www.cafedumarche.co.uk

Café du Marché would struggle to hide itself away any further if it tried; in an area famous for its meat market and meat focused restaurants such as St. John it has not gone out of its way to advertise itself to death – it remains relatively unknown outside the immediate area; however it is a cracking place.

The main dining room has a feel that is very much like a French farmhouse kitchen with exposed wood and brick throughout creating a cosy atmosphere which looks well used without for a second becoming shabby. The menu is fantastically French; offering a selection of rustic and often little known provincial dishes.

The black pudding with which I started was some of the best I have ever tried and the ox cheeks with gnocchi with which I followed was divine; wickedly meaty and sitting in a sauce that saw me ordering more bread at the end of the meal to ensure I made the most of every last drop.

At £28.50 for two courses it seems reasonably priced and with the addition of house wine at under £19 the bill was less than I had expected. On the whole the service was good, with the exception of the waiter who took our order who didn’t seem to comprehend any of the dishes that we ordered, couldn’t explain an item on the menu and insisted on me telling him how many down from the top the wine I was ordering was as he couldn’t understand that order either – I can’t say I have ever had that problem before and I certainly hadn’t drunk enough to have reached the slurring stage.

Café du Marché is a great restaurant with a particularly wonderful atmosphere; the food was packed with flavour and would certainly be considered rustic over delicate. I will definitely be going back – possibly after some elocution lessons. 

Koffmann's - Restaurant Review

Cuisine: French

Cost:

Rating:

Where?:  The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London. SW1X 7RL

Closest station(s): Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, Victoria.    

Telephone:  0207 235 1010

Website: www.the-berkeley.co.uk/koffmanns  

 Koffmann’s is a welcome return for Pierre Koffmann to the London restaurant scene having previously held three Michelin stars with the Tante Claire on Royal Hospital Road. Following his break he has returned to the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge with a more relaxed effort in the form of a French brasserie, this restaurant will not win three Michelin stars however it is not trying to.  

The menu is a joy to peruse with little effort made to build up unnecessary pretention or theatre; from snails, bone marrow and wild mushroom to Gascony-style black pudding with Darphin potatoes and fig chutney – there is something refreshing and exciting about the menu. The a la carte sees starters around £12 and mains around £25; for this you get excellent produce cooked in ways that simply attempt to draw out the quality of the produce.

The pig’s trotter salad with which I started was fantastic, I can’t say I often eat salads in restaurants however the wafer thin slices of trotter with the artichoke and cauliflower worked wonderfully well and left me hugely satisfied. The calf’s liver with which I followed was also very good; I haven’t had liver that well cooked for quite a while. The wine list is again well thought out with something on offer from around £22; they also offer carafes which I found a welcome surprise – possibly for when that second bottle with the mains doesn’t seem quite necessary. On top of this the service was also of a very high standard without being intrusive, it also had a human edge to it which can at times be lost in a hotel setting.

It is the set menu that has drawn the largest crowds, ensuring that the restaurant has a healthy buzz at all times – at £21.50 for two courses it is excellent value. It is a shame that I now find myself coming to the one thing that lets Koffmann’s down, namely the décor. It is horrible. With so much going for it it is such a shame that you are forced to eat in such uninspiring surroundings. It certainly did not ruin my meal and I would recommend Koffmann’s however it has certainly fallen into the hotel trap that all too many restaurants do – seemingly believing that distinguishing features, or features at all for that matter, are unnecessary.

It is great to see Pierre Koffmann back in the capital and Koffmann’s is a positive addition; the cooking is excellent as is the service – just make sure you go there with good company so you won’t have a need to look round at the painfully bland interior. 

The Wolseley - Restaurant Review

Cuisine: French

Cost:  

Rating:

Where?:  160, Piccadilly, London. W1J 9EB.

Closest station(s): Green Park, Piccadilly, Leicester Square.   

Telephone:  0207 499 6996

Website: www.thewolseley.com  

Having been to The Wolseley a number of times I still can’t quite decide what to make of it. My problem relates to what it is; for the prices you would almost expect a fine dining restaurant, however it could also fall into the café or brasserie sections too. 

Though a few years ago The Wolseley was the place to go in London it is not, I have come to learn, a fine dining restaurant; it is a grand café and at ticking boxes for a grand café it excels. Having opened at 7 for breakfast it then moves onto a lunch service, then an afternoon tea service followed finally by dinner that stops serving at midnight –a long and tiring day for anyone.

This elegant former car showroom and bank is a beautiful setting for all of your meals. For breakfast it can be highly recommended, certainly cheaper than most of the local hotels but offering an excellent and appetising selection of grub to give you a kick start in the morning.

Afternoon tea again is spot on; a tasty tea without the prices and pomp that come with the effort made just moments away in the Ritz and other hotels.  We then come to lunch & dinner. If looking for somewhere to pop into whilst out shopping at lunchtime and you are craving a classic, i.e steak tartare, duck confit or calf’s liver and you want to enjoy it in a pleasant environment, to be cooked well, served quickly and washed down with a decent glass of wine then The Wolseley is excellent; as it would also be pre or post-theatre. At £19.50 for calves lives and £18.95 for the seven hour lamb, whilst well-cooked it may be more than many want to spend at lunchtime.

What I would not recommend is going to the Wolseley under the impression that it is a fine dining restaurant; it is not set up to provide you with a drawn out relaxing meal – and the staff do little to improve this, often seeming rushed.  

Helpfully, the restaurant leaves a considerable number of tables free for walk-ins; allowing this to be a refuge from shopping or other daytime activity.  

Polpo - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Italian / Tapas

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  41, Beak Street, Soho, London. W1F 9SB.

Closest station(s):  Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road.   

Telephone: 0207 734 4479

Website: www.polpo.co.uk     

I apologise for adding tapas to cuisine type above as Polpo is not a tapas restaurant; it is the Italian equivalent, namely a bacaro. Polpo has received a huge amount of media attention and on this occasion it is certainly well deserved. Everything about the restaurant seems to have been done to minimise stress and allow you to have a relaxed and enjoyable evening.  

The menu offers a selection of small dishes, ideal for sharing. This includes a selection of cicheti - tiny plates of food starting from £1.00 (I am surprised to see you can get anything in London for that price these days). Small plates at low prices allows you to have a wide array of food to graze on whilst there.

The food has been excellent each time I have been; on the last occasion I went the highlights were the mackerel tartare, the fritto misto, the polpette and a duck ragu that was bewilderingly unctuous and packed with flavour. At around £5 a plate for the larger plates it is very reasonably priced – the house wine at £18 is extremely quaffable.

Polpo only allows you to book tables for lunch. I am in two minds as to whether the lack of evening booking is a good thing or not; it is great for those occasions that you are in Soho and want a lively atmosphere and great food but haven’t booked – the great shame is that it is so popular you can often find yourself waiting for half an hour or more for a table; during which time it is very easy to get carried away at the bar.

Overall I have great affection for Polpo; the staff are friendly, you get to try lots of delicious morsels, the cooking is excellent and it has a lively buzz throughout the day and evening. 

Navajo Joe - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  North & South American

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  34, King Street, Covent Garden, London. WC2E 8JD.

Closest station(s):  Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Charring Cross.  

Telephone: 0207 240 4008

Website: www.navajojoe.co.uk    

As far as I have always been concerned Navajo Joe in Covent Garden is a bar, it appears however that they have now tried to position themselves as a restaurant too and push their culinary credentials. Being someone who is often too quick to draw a conclusion I decided that I should give Navajo Joe a go before I dismissed it entirely.

Having been seated I perused the menu; from that point onwards it was a poor culinary experience. The menu is a bizarre hodge-podge of North American, South American and Oriental – why sweet and sour pork balls, fajitas, red Thai curry and jambalaya would ever be on the same menu is beyond me. As I had thought Navajo Joe is not quite sure what it is, the staff don’t seem to know whether they are in a bar or restaurant either. The tables are mixed up so some are full of people trying to have a meal whilst other are crammed with cocktails and people trying to become inebriated. This mixture does not work.

The food that arrived at the table was edible, however was mediocre in every way. At £15 for main courses more could certainly be expected, this is not a fast food restaurant.

I would not eat again at Navajo Joe, it was never a great bar – however even its suitability for drinks has been negatively impacted upon by the decision to promote the food. I have little interest in sitting down for a drink and a chat with a friend when a neighbouring table full of tourists is sitting down to a three course meal of poor food. The saving grace for Navajo Joe is the bar downstairs, when it is busy and with a good crowd it can have a decent atmosphere. 

One O One - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Fish

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  101, Knightsbridge, London. SW1X 7RN.

Closest station(s): Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, Sloane Square.       

Telephone: 0207 290 7101

Website: www.oneoonerestaurant.com        

The Sheraton Park Tower is a hideously ugly building moments from Harvey Nichols on Knightsbridge, it is at the base of this concrete monstrosity that you find One O One. The bar area is not attractive, it fails to encourage you to relax and has been designed by someone with poor taste. After a glass of the house champagne we were then taken through to the dining room. Unfortunately this had been decorated by the same person as the bar. It looks as if they might have been given the dummies guide to hotel restaurant décor for Christmas; if that was the case then they should at least be praised for sticking to the book extremely closely. The dining room lacks any form of character and looks how I imagine an upmarket motorway service station might.

The décor is the first and last thing that I can possibly fault One O One for, the rest of the experience was superb. On the menu the fish is certainly the star, there are a number of meat dishes offered however someone who didn’t love fish would certainly not get the best out of One O One.

The wild Norwegian Red King Crab Legs were stunning, without doubt one of the best plates of food that I have ever had. I love crab, these crab legs however were in a league of their own – huge, meaty and packed with flavour.

At One O One you have the option to opt for the petits plats; these being downsized versions of the starters and mains for a lower price, allowing you to try a greater selection of the menu. I could not encourage someone more to take up this option the petits plats are perfect for sharing; allowing you to share 6, 7 or 8 dishes.

Heightening the exceptional food experience further is the presentation; each dish is beautifully laid out – rarely have I ever been so reluctant to destroy a piece of art on a plate. The final area of great quality is the service; the waiters could not have been more helpful, polite or amiable.

One O One is not cheap at £20 for starters and £30 for mains; the experience is however fully deserving of the price. There are often offers out there to get significant reductions on the price midweek and when discounted the food is some of the best value in London. If the décor had a little character then this restaurant would be one of the best in London.